Fluoride decision to be revisited

By ANNE KAZMIERCZAK Register Reporter
HUMBOLDT — On May 11, The Humboldt City council voted to fluoridate the water
The decision took Humboldt resident Paul Finney by surprise. “It wasn’t on the agenda,” he said. “It wasn’t published.”
Humboldt city council member and dentist Sean McReynolds disagreed.
“May 11 meeting, item No. 6,” he read, “Consider resolution on fluoridation of the Humboldt City water supply. Presentation by Erin Kepley and Christie McReynolds of the Humboldt wellness Council.”
Finney did admit he saw notice of the potential decision on the city Web site, “but who reads that?” he quipped.
Finney took his case to the Humboldt Rotary club Thursday afternoon, where he presented a petition for a special election on the topic.
His notion met with a retort from Rotarian Wally Hart. “There’ a lot of us here in Humboldt that want fluoride. I think the city council here is looking at putting in a level amount.
“My oldest boy was raised in a community with fluoridated water, my two younger boys were not,” Hart continued. The eldest “did not have nearly the problems with his teeth that the younger boys did,” Hart said.
Finney wasn’t moved.
“I think it’s a poison,” he said of the ionic form of the element fluorine.
Fluoride is found throughout the world. It often appears naturally in drinking water.
The Neosho River already has a fluoride level of .14 to .21, said Humboldt water plant superintendent John Hodgden. The level recommended by the ADA to prevent tooth decay is between .7 and 1.2 PPM, McReynolds said.
“This isn’t adding fluoride to the water — it’s already there — this is just bringing it up to a level effective to fight tooth decay,” he said.
At the May council meeting, the Wellness Council presentation included a printout listing all the communities in Allen County that fluoridate their water, McReynolds said.
“Only Humboldt and the two rural water districts Humboldt supplies did not have fluoridation,” McReynolds said.
McReynolds said Iola began fluoridating its water in 1952, as did Fort Scott and Garnett. Chanute joined in 1956.
“You’ve got 50 years of fluoridation in these communities and that does speak for itself,” he said.
“Research provided by the ADA says that there are 18 to 40 percent fewer cavities in those communities, and people in those communities are spending less money on dental health,” he said.
Even so, Finney would like to see the matter brought to a vote before Humboldt begins fluoridation.
Without the council reversing itself, that’s unlikely, said City Attorney Fred Works.
“My understanding is it’s possible to bring the issue up and bring it to a public vote, but that’s a case where the council has not acted.” A provision allowing rural water districts to protest the addition of fluoride to their drinking supply also “does not apply to municipals districts,” Works said.
The council will have an opportunity to reconsider the matter, however. City Administrator Larry Tucker announced Finney and the fluoridation topic are on Monday night’s council agenda.
Unless the council decides otherwise, fluoridation of Humboldt’s water will likely begin in August or September, Tucker said.
“It takes us several months to implement the decision and we’re applying a grant from the United Methodist Ministry Health Foundation to pay for the equipment,” Tucker said.
Monday night’s city council meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the public library community room. All are welcome.